"Though conforming generally in size to known US Navy priming horns, this example lacks several of the features common to government issued pieces. The most notable omission is the spring-loaded brass dispenser used to regulate the flow of powder from the horn to the gun’s vent- an essential safety feature. The base’s form, a bulbous, turned plug of walnut, is quite unlike any other USN of RN horn of the period. Taken together, these features suggest that Gunner Lord privately purchased the horn for his own use.